China’s rulers already revile Hong Kong’s independent streak. Many see the island territory as a feisty place corrupted by Western political thought, a legacy of its time under British rule.

Now along comes a campaign to vindicate the Communist Party’s worst suspicions.This movement’s adherents aren’t clamoring for freer elections. Nor are they demanding outright independence.

They want to transform Hong Kong back into a British territory — and proclaim Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state.

“Many Hong Kongers love Her Majesty very much!,” says Alice Lai, the leading face of the campaign. “Even now, we still call Her Majesty ‘The Boss.’”

Even in Hong Kong’s more rebellious circles, this idea will sound far-fetched. The city’s pro-democracy camps are mostly fixated on less radical goals, such as loosening Beijing’s grip on Hong Kong’s leadership.

But the Hong Kong-United Kingdom Reunification Campaign, while extremely small, is quite serious.